Originally Posted by iliff3
Okay, this was really stupid. I got caught stealing a twenty dollar tennis racket from K-mart. I got out of the door and upon arriving to my car, which was parked a good deal away, looked back and saw a k-mart associate trying to read my license plates. At thgis point, I drove off. A little ways down the road I looked back and a car was coming up on me fast. I turned into the local community college and not knwing what to do parked, unsure if this car was just driving fast or whether they really were after me. The car truned in as well and after creeping up on me slowly, drove off. At this point i moved my car and parked in a more well-hidden parking lot so i could think on what to do. Soon after a cop arrived, and evenbtually found me. I confessed, gave the officer the racket who then gave it to another officer to take it back to k-mart and then he asked me some questions.
I told him that it was dumb thing to do and that i did it on a whim. i told him it was the first time I had ever commited theft. Unfortuanately(now i dont know why) I told him that i had money in my wallet to pay for it, but had done it anyways. I told him that I was just planning to take it back to k-mart because i had realized that I had been caught.
My initial court date is 12 days from now. I am being charged with third degree theft. I have never been convicted of any crime before. I live in the state of Washington.
As far as I know, the store is not pressing charges. Is this something that i will find out later? I have heard that there is some kind of compromise to where if I pay the store for both the item that I had intended to steal, plus another large fee, and have them go in and drop off a letter saying i am forgiven, all charges can sometimes be dropped. I dont have money for legal council, but intend to ask. Should I at least talk to a lawyer before this court date to get some advice.
Finally i leave for school in about a month or so so i want this to go quickly. My main goals are to avoid jailtime and to find a way to get it off my record asap. If i get put on probation, will I be confined to that area or can i still go to school and have my probation transferred over to the other side of the state. I have a respectable job and am going to a good school. Will that even matter? Or help?
Mostly, what exactly am i most likely looking at in terms of punishment? Any advice would be GREATLY appreaciated
oh yeah, and im 22 years of age